Episode 2: First Mission
by Lone Werewolf Ninja
Summary: Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, Grall and Hoshnu set off for their first mission at Kamiorchi, Country of the Spirits. But perils and dangers awaited them...


Today was the 7th Team's first mission – to protect a fisherman's family while he was away to another village to buy some equipment.

"Yahoooooooo! Charge to our destination, people!" After saying all of these words, Naruto zoomed past his team-mates – Sakura, Sasuke, Hoshnu and Grall – and his teacher – Kakashi.

"Oi, Naruto! You don't need to walk so fast right now. We still got time and can walk s-l-o-w-l-y." Kakashi called to Naruto, and continue reading his "Come Come Paradise" book. Suddenly, like a rocket, Naruto rushed back.

"Come on guys, let's go faster! Aren't you all excited about out FIRST MISSION!" Naruto shouted as he walked.

"……"

No replies.

Naruto grumbled, and - as he was left behind, he stuck his tongue out at Grall and Sasuke. Both of them stared back and sweats poured over Naruto.

"There it is – the Kamiorchi, also called the Country of Spirits." Kakashi broke the silence. All of them look down from the hill, and saw the famous town of the Kami (Spirit).

"Kamiorchi was famous by its people special ability to communicate with the spirits." Kakashi continued,"Its citizens, about 90, were born with the gift of communicate with the spirits. Though some of them were ordinary people, they still lived together with harmony. Except…" Suddenly, Kakashi's face turned grim," Some of the gifted citizens were overwhelmed with their powers, and started to cause havoc by awakening the darkest and feared spirits from the graves. Their main evil ambition – were to take over Kamiorchi, and take command of the people. They called themselves – the Necromancers."

When Kakashi said the word, a shivering action seemed to run through the trees.

"Better be careful, though. Bandits or robbers awaited travellers along the road to Kamiorchi." Kakashi pointed to a small deserted path hidden in the dense trees.

"WHAT! I mean...we are supposed to go through THAT?" Naruto asked after he saw MASSIVE spiders – about the size of a palm – and grubs crawling on the pathway.

"…Naruto, have you forgotten your BASIC Ninjutsu skill of Earth Diving? That is, allow a Ninja to hid and walk in the ground, not above." Hoshnu said.

"Umm…Yea! I remembered! Uh…" Naruto said.

"When I said 'GO!' Then we will dive together...1, 2, 3, GO!" Kakashi announced.

"Earth Element! Earth Diving no Jutsu!"

And here they goes, one by one, they dived into the solid earth…except Naruto.

"Nah! I won't lose! Ground Diving no Jutsu!" Naruto then dived into the ground.

After reaching the surface, Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, Grall and Hoshnu found themselves staring at…a desert. Behind them is the forest that they had came through.

"Uhh…Kakashi-sensei, is Kamiorchi built on a desert plain?" Sakura asked.

"Nope, it isn't. This is just a trick of some mischievous spirits wandering around Kamiorchi."

"Wait…Where's Naruto?" Sasuke asked.

"That Naruto…again! Must we wait for him every time?" Sakura was annoyed.

"Help! Somebody HELP ME!"

"That sounds familiar…"Grall muttered," It sounds like Naruto crying for help."

Sasuke and Grall stared at each other, and then quickly went to the location where the sound came from. And, they saw – on the ground – was the hair and left arm of Naruto sticking out. Both of them grunted and together, they pulled Naruto out of the ground….of course with some help of focusing their Chakra.

"Heh heh heh…I read the Jutsu wrongly, so-" Before Naruto could finish his words, three strangers covered with sand-yellow robe and with faces half covered in the robe charged out of the sand and stood in front of them.

"We are the Sand Bandits – merciless killers of the Desert. Give us all your valuables or else you will die under our blades!" Their leader said. Then, one by one, Sand Bandits came charging out of the ground and now there was a crowd of the Bandits.

"Back off, if you know what's good for you. We still have unfinished business to attend to, so we don't want to waste time here." Sasuke glared.

"We shall see about that…."The leader teased.

"Seems that we have no choice but to battle it out…."Grall growled as he dug out a kunai from his pocket.

With a gush of the wind, the Sand Bandits charged towards the ninjas and revealed their weapons, an artificial metal glove with two dangerous looking blades – which gave a first impression of a metal beast's claws. The blades were chained to the glove and they were swung around whenever the Bandit gripped his fist – which resembled a deadly swinging club.

But the Ninjas were not weak too. Sasuke uses his Fireball Jutsu and fought off a mass of Bandits while Grall pierces with his two kunai and using his Tornado Boom Jutsu (which allowed him to travel as fast as the wind). Sakura and Hoshnu were fending off their opponents by focusing their Chakras and the skills they've learnt in school. How about Naruto? Well, he is combating with three Bandits using his Kage Bunshin No Jutsu, and Kakashi was attacking at a few Bandits skilfully with his kunai.

All of them were too engaged in the combat and didn't notice about one of the Sand Bandits avoiding combat that stood away from the battle. He pulled back his left sleeve and revealed three tubes that contain needles. He raised his right hand and pulled a string at the back of the tubes, like a catapult. He aimed the three needles at Sakura, Hoshnu and Naruto, then…FIRE! The needles zoomed out of the slots and aimed directly at the three unsuspecting victims.

"Look out!" Just in time, before the needles hit their targets, Kakashi, Sasuke and Grall managed to push Naruto, Sakura and Hoshnu out of range. Disturbingly, their attacker let out a wicked and menace chuckle.

"Fools! You guessed there were only THREE needles? Well, take a good look at this!" He tossed back the whole left sleeve, and there were another THREE slots….empty slots.

With fast reactions, Grall pushed Hoshnu down onto the sand. Before all of them realise what was happening, blood was spurted into the desert air.

"GRALL!" Everybody was shocked. Grall was lying, wounded by the flying needles, on the desert floor.

"Argh! Pathetic ninjas! Losing a friend…especially with our fast-killing _poisonous needles_ wouldn't be much a pain. Get up…or be perished because of the _burden_…" The Bandit leader hissed. Other Sand Bandits chuckle and snicker away.

"GAH!" Naruto let out a cry of fury, "I won't…let you look down on my team mates like that! I'm going to show you NOW!"

"Na...Naruto!" Sakura cried. But Naruto couldn't listen to any of the words. He gazed at the enemies and…

"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

Naruto, along with his shadow clones, charged at the Sand Bandits, roaring with fury. Just before the Sand Bandit can react, Naruto pierce him with kunai and knock him unconscious. Sasuke grinned and hurled himself into the battle.

"Look after Grall; I will finish the bandits as soon as I…we can." Kakashi ordered. Hoshnu and Sakura nodded and dragged Grall behind a bush.

"Let me go…I must join in…the battle…"Grall breathed heavily and struggled to get up, but failed to do so and fell down.

"The needles are poisonous…we must get the poison out now…before it's too late." Hoshnu told Sakura. Sakura got up and volunteered to look for some medical herbs…if there are any. After Sakura hurried away, Hoshnu wet a piece of towel and placed it on Grall's forehead to cool down the body temperature.

After a few battle rounds, the Sand Bandits were all exhausted and were beaten up by Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi. Kakashi stared as the leader finally collapsed onto a piece of boulder.

"So, tell us about the Desert…"Kakashi glanced back at Grall and Hoshnu, "And the antidote to the poison." The leader attempted to struggle free, but failed – as Sasuke held a kunai onto his neck.

"Well, let's see the truth behind the mask…!"Naruto exclaimed.

"Naruto...No!" Sasuke tried to stop him but it's too late – Naruto had pulled down the mask covering half of the leader's face. When all of them saw the real face of the Sand Bandits, they were all shocked.

"The…the Sand Bandit leader…was a…woman?" Naruto was surprised.

That was correct. Under the mask, where the hidden face concealed, was a face of a young woman – probably around her 20s.

"Tell us or prepare to die…" Sasuke muttered under his breath.

The Sand Bandit glanced around, and let out a soft sigh.

"The herb. A crimson-red grass with a navy blue flower. Grind it and smother the paste on the boy's wounds. Simple but effective, that's the cure to the poison." The Sand Bandit leader said.

Naruto nodded and ran off the inform Sakura about the herb. Then, after Naruto is gone, the Bandit leader continues with her knowledge of the Desert.

"This mighty Desert is created by the Kami of the Border – protectors of Kamiorchi. All of these were illusions for others, yet reality for us. We lived on the Desert, and the Desert lived on us. We helped fend out intruders, and the Desert provided us with the suitable surroundings."

"Kakashi-sensei! Sasuke-kun! I've found the herb!" Sakura came running down the desert slope and towards the team. Sasuke accidentally loosen his guards and the Leader escaped.

"Oh no!..."

"We Bandits also talk about honour…well, at least a little. You Konoha ninjas had gave us a route of freedom, so we Sand Bandits will let you live." The Bandit leader pulled back her mask and with another gush of win, all the Bandits disappeared. Sakura handed the medical herb to Hoshnu and she chewed on it. Hoshnu then spitted the paste onto her hand and started rubbing them on Grall's wounds. After a few moments of nervousness, Grall flicked open his eyes and struggling to sit up weakly. Naruto and Sakura helped him and Grall nodded, appreciated.

Half an hour past and the team finally reached Kamiorchi. The team found their way to the fisherman's hut, and finally let out a sigh of relief. After listening to the peril the team faced, the fisherman Kanbura was fully appreciated for the ninjas to risk the dangers for this mission.

"It's been a hard day for you all. Sit down and relax and have the dinner together." Kanbura's wife, Yuna smiled. The team nodded gratefully and sat down for the food. After a meal of rice, vegetables and fish, the team yawned as they are tired after a day of hard work.

"Ah, yes. I've prepared the bedrooms for you but, unfortunately, we only have 2 rooms that can occupy 2 people and another room that can only make space for one. In that case, one of you will have to…" Before Yuna finished her offer, Grall stood up.

"I will sleep outside. I feel more comfortable around the trees and nature." Grall started to walk towards the door.

"Well well, all's settled then. The girls will share one room; the boys will have the other while the teacher will use the solo room. Good night and have a good sleep." Yuna announced. Hoshnu was staring at Grall's back view, and suddenly have a strange feeling, crushing and gushing inside her. Was that…? She shakes her head and trying to brush away the thoughts. She went to sleep, but the thoughts were still troubling her. She then closed her eyes and drifted into a sleep….and so does the others.

Grall was outside, on a thick tree branch. He was now staring at the night sky and a thought flew inside his mind. A mist of the past has covered him.

Message from the Owner: Please read and Review, this is my second story. I will continue with other fan-fic episodes.


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